Was I totally out of line here or what?

[Traviesa 0]

I will have to disagree with some of the posts on this thread. A tip is not voluntary-it's compulsory, when someone has served you in any capacity. The amount of the tip should reflect the decency of the service, with 15-20% meaning good service, more than 20% meaning excellent service, and 10% meaning bad service. Regardless of how the service was, someone has served you when you could have served yourself, and that should be recognized with a tip, at least good etiquette says so. Also, a tip should not reflect anything but the service-that means if the food sucks, but the service was good, you should still tip well...not the server's fault, unless you tell them about it and they refuse to fix it. Servers don't make the food, remember... Having worked in capacity of server several times, I can tell you that it's not easy to wait on people...especially people with a huge sense of entitlement who think your only purpose on earth is to wait on them. And servers don't make a whole lot of money. Less than half of minimum wage most times.

[rebeccajo 14]

I will have to disagree with some of the posts on this thread. A tip is not voluntary-it's compulsory, when someone has served you in any capacity. The amount of the tip should reflect the decency of the service, with 15-20% meaning good service, more than 20% meaning excellent service, and 10% meaning bad service. Regardless of how the service was, someone has served you when you could have served yourself, and that should be recognized with a tip, at least good etiquette says so. Also, a tip should not reflect anything but the service-that means if the food sucks, but the service was good, you should still tip well...not the server's fault, unless you tell them about it and they refuse to fix it. Servers don't make the food, remember... Having worked in capacity of server several times, I can tell you that it's not easy to wait on people...especially people with a huge sense of entitlement who think your only purpose on earth is to wait on them. And servers don't make a whole lot of money. Less than half of minimum wage most times.

Yes I agree that the hourly rate for servers is low and the work is hard.

But a tip compulsory? PUHLEEZE.

[Jo1973 0]

Homesick,

Glad it's all turned out ok now, nothing worse than a cold bacon sarnie. Was it sodexho?? lol

[john_and_marlene 162]

I will have to disagree with some of the posts on this thread. A tip is not voluntary-it's compulsory, when someone has served you in any capacity. The amount of the tip should reflect the decency of the service, with 15-20% meaning good service, more than 20% meaning excellent service, and 10% meaning bad service. Regardless of how the service was, someone has served you when you could have served yourself, and that should be recognized with a tip, at least good etiquette says so. Also, a tip should not reflect anything but the service-that means if the food sucks, but the service was good, you should still tip well...not the server's fault, unless you tell them about it and they refuse to fix it. Servers don't make the food, remember... Having worked in capacity of server several times, I can tell you that it's not easy to wait on people...especially people with a huge sense of entitlement who think your only purpose on earth is to wait on them. And servers don't make a whole lot of money. Less than half of minimum wage most times.

I can take my own order and go deliver it to the kitchen and go get it when it's done?????? Can I go get my own drink refills??? I'm sure that it's not an option in most restaurants. Pay for bad service???? No thank you. If the service is really bad, I'm expecting a free meal. If you don't like the wage/tip level, don't take that type of job. If you take that type of job, realize your level of service determines your income and conduct your business accordingly.

With that said, I am a very good tipper when the service is good.

[Traviesa 0]

I can take my own order and go deliver it to the kitchen and go get it when it's done?????? Can I go get my own drink refills???

No, but you could eat at home. If you expect to be served, expect to pay for service.

As for a tip being compulsory, read any etiquette book and it will tell you that. I like to do my best on most occasions to be ladylike and polite. Although many times I fail miserably...

[homesick_american 1]

I can take my own order and go deliver it to the kitchen and go get it when it's done?????? Can I go get my own drink refills???

No, but you could eat at home. If you expect to be served, expect to pay for service.

As for a tip being compulsory, read any etiquette book and it will tell you that. I like to do my best on most occasions to be ladylike and polite. Although many times I fail miserably...

There has been only one occasion when I did not leave a tip at all, and that was because the service was so poor and the waitress so rude that I just couldn't bring myself to do it. She didn't deserve it. We went into a Chili's on a weeknight, maybe 45 minutes before closing time, and ordered burgers. It's not like we ran her off her feet asking for refills and sending stuff back to the kitchen, but she kept yelling at us to hurry up and complained that we were 'too slow' and she actually cussed us a few times, walking by and saying "Would you f*ckin' hurry up?" That sort of behavior doesn't deserve any tip.

Normally in Texas I doubled the sales tax on the bill and left that as the tip; that usually worked out to 16.5-17%. I don't buy that 20% is a mandatory starting level for good service; I think it's too much. I do realize that waitstaff make less than minimum wage, but where their tips do not make up the difference the employer is required to bridge the gap. I don't tip people who work at McDonald's or Target, so why should I reward poor service with a hefty tip? It just doesn't make any sense to me.

[almaty 19]

well, the guy knew that workers with his job skills are hard to find

[CarolineM 0]

I will have to disagree with some of the posts on this thread. A tip is not voluntary-it's compulsory, when someone has served you in any capacity. The amount of the tip should reflect the decency of the service, with 15-20% meaning good service, more than 20% meaning excellent service, and 10% meaning bad service

Remember that thread about tips from a while back?? I'm with you Melissa...i ALWAYS tip...even if the service is #######...but again...like you...i've worked in a restaurant and seen how it works...

You can't convince some people that tipping is compulsory and that's fine But i'm with you 100%

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

As long as its only books on etiquette that say tipping is compulsory, and not the actual law, or even signage at restaurants, tipping isn't really compulsory.

It's the right thing to do in most cases. But compulsory? No.

[homesick_american 1]

As long as its only books on etiquette that say tipping is compulsory, and not the actual law, or even signage at restaurants, tipping isn't really compulsory.

It's the right thing to do in most cases. But compulsory? No.

I agree, it is not compulsory. Otherwise the restaurant would automatically add the gratuity to the bill.

99.99% of the time, I leave a tip. Like I said, there was only one time in my entire life that I did not leave a tip and that was because the waitress was exceptionally rude and abusive. Sometimes I would have preferred to not leave a tip because the service was bad, but I felt socially pressured to do so...so I did.

[Traviesa 0]

As long as its only books on etiquette that say tipping is compulsory, and not the actual law, or even signage at restaurants, tipping isn't really compulsory.

It's the right thing to do in most cases. But compulsory? No.

I agree, it is not compulsory. Otherwise the restaurant would automatically add the gratuity to the bill.

99.99% of the time, I leave a tip. Like I said, there was only one time in my entire life that I did not leave a tip and that was because the waitress was exceptionally rude and abusive. Sometimes I would have preferred to not leave a tip because the service was bad, but I felt socially pressured to do so...so I did.

Some places are starting to do that-automatically add the tip in; even on parties of less than 8 or whatever. But from what you described above, I would have not left a tip either-the waitress was completely out of line; in cases like that, when the server is abusive and mean, you're supposed to leave nothing, but also make sure to speak to the manager about it.

[homesick_american 1]

As long as its only books on etiquette that say tipping is compulsory, and not the actual law, or even signage at restaurants, tipping isn't really compulsory.

It's the right thing to do in most cases. But compulsory? No.

I agree, it is not compulsory. Otherwise the restaurant would automatically add the gratuity to the bill.

99.99% of the time, I leave a tip. Like I said, there was only one time in my entire life that I did not leave a tip and that was because the waitress was exceptionally rude and abusive. Sometimes I would have preferred to not leave a tip because the service was bad, but I felt socially pressured to do so...so I did.

Some places are starting to do that-automatically add the tip in; even on parties of less than 8 or whatever. But from what you described above, I would have not left a tip either-the waitress was completely out of line; in cases like that, when the server is abusive and mean, you're supposed to leave nothing, but also make sure to speak to the manager about it.

I didn't, but this was years ago and I wouldn't have talked to anyone about it then. I'd do it now, though.

[john_and_marlene 162]

I can take my own order and go deliver it to the kitchen and go get it when it's done?????? Can I go get my own drink refills???

No, but you could eat at home. If you expect to be served, expect to pay for service.

As for a tip being compulsory, read any etiquette book and it will tell you that. I like to do my best on most occasions to be ladylike and polite. Although many times I fail miserably...

Here's an online international guide on International Tipping Etiquette

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A640018

On the other hand, you should not tip if service is bad. If the service is really bad, leave a nickel - they should get the message. There is no excuse for bad service - it's so easy to give! And if you work in the service industry, the little effort can gain you a personal reward - tips!

[CarolineM 0]

International Tipping Ettiquette won't be accurate. In Australia servers make WAY more money and don't get tipped at all...

that can't be compared to the 2.13 servers make in america.

[john_and_marlene 162]

International Tipping Ettiquette won't be accurate. In Australia servers make WAY more money and don't get tipped at all...

that can't be compared to the 2.13 servers make in america.

I thought by "any ettiquette book" she meant any